Page 74 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

Emperor, his Court and the entire central government and as a result were regarded by the
scholars with great resentment and suspicion.

Throughout the successive Chinese dynasties, prestige, privilege and social significance
of the four classes changed, especially for the lower orders. Attitudes toward people based
on social status also changed. As one dynasty replaced another, borders with other
classes became more blurred. For this reason, class division was a concept based on
idealism rather than realism while, still slightly under the surface, retaining old ways almost
to the point of them being there through superstition.